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2028 AP Press Room

Coach JFunk34 - thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. Alabama struggled at the end of the season last year with a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl and a tough loss to MSU in the Rose Bowl. How did those losses affect the team and their preparation for this season (S18)?

You've got some big games ahead hosting Florida and travelling to Cincinnati. You managed a big win over Florida last year. Can you make it two in a row?

After the Florida game, you face a very talented Cincy team on the road. These two teams play a very different style of play. Are you concerned about playing back-to-back games against the powerhouses?

You've got quite a stable of talented running backs on your squad. Are you going to be able to keep all that talent happy in that crowded backfield?

Coach David - thanks for taking our call. Your team looked great at times last season, but you came up short against Florida and had a disapointing finish against Stanford. Derrick Johnson is back for his 5th year (and 4th year as the starter) and a shot at another Heisman trophy, but didn't get off to a great start this year. What should we expect from Johnson the remainder of the season?

After a great start against UVA, the Cowboys struggled against two teams from Ohio - OSU and Ohio. Looking down your schedule, are there any other games you're worried about?

Tell us a little about the young talent on your team - specifically the young receievers that will be fueling this air-raid attack for the next few seasons. You've been loaded with great receivers for many seasons, but we're not sure who is going to be catching all those passes in the seasons ahead.

Speaking of all those passes, who is going to be the next great quarterback in this system?

It looks like you're starting to assemble a core of young, talented defenders - something that seemed to be lacking for this team in the early years of your tenure. What is the current focus of your recruiting efforts? Restocking the passing game or continuing to build out the defense?

Coach runthepound - we're happy to have you here with us. After a rocky off-season, we weren't sure if you'd be coaching the Buckeyes this season. It appeared as though you'd be contending for another national title last season, but you were derailed by the Spartans in Indianapolis. What's it going to take to get the Green monkey off your back?

Your recruiting success seems to have followed you Columbus where you've been putting together one great class after another. Where is this team in your program-building process? Are they approaching the depth and talent that you showcased in Colorado?

You have a problem that most coaches would die for - having to decide between two amazing quarterbacks. Which guy (Leslie or Jordan) are you going to feature?

We were surprised to see true-freshman QB Pittman on the field this season. What do you see in this youngster over the JR and SR studs we asked about above?

Everyone knows that Kirby Barber is the media sweetheart this year, but you've got a great back there in Steve Carter. How do you think your guy stacks up against Barber at MSU, Bennett at OU and Myrick in Florida?

Some would say that you made it through the most difficult part of your schedule already. Is this team going to be undefeated when they get to the B10 title game? And what about after that game?

Coach Funk - thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. Alabama struggled at the end of the season last year with a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl and a tough loss to MSU in the Rose Bowl. How did those losses affect the team and their preparation for this season (S18)?

The loss to Auburn I won't comment to much on, let's just say, I wasn't technically (or literally) there. Now I will talk about the Rose Bowl. That was one of the most exciting and frustrating games I have ever been a part of. I felt like our team played their hearts out and executed almost flawlessly for about 3 1/4 quarters. When we reviewed the film we found that we made some errors in certain play calls and weren't executing our defensive gameplan very well. Very simple yet major mistakes like letting a receiver behind two deep conservative covering defenders is just unacceptable. Also we got too conservative on offense. Those things combined with Michigan State playing lights out and just plain having lady luck on their side led to a tough loss for us.

You've got some big games ahead hosting Florida and travelling to Cincinnati. You managed a big win over Florida last year. Can you make it two in a row?

Well I certainly hope so. This isn't the same team as last year and that Gator team isn't the same as last year. Forget last year. We are gonna go out their and try to give THIS team the best chance to win. If we do well and our guys execute then we most certainly like our chances of winning.

After the Florida game, you face a very talented Cincy team on the road. These two teams play a very different style of play. Are you concerned about playing back-to-back games against the powerhouses?

No not concerned at all. Not because we don't understand the gravity of playing those teams but that ultimately we are gonna play our game the same way regardless. We respect The Bearcats but right now we are focused on next week's game against Florida.

You've got quite a stable of talented running backs on your squad. Are you going to be able to keep all that talent happy in that crowded backfield?

We recruit team players at Bama. Our guys understand their roles on this team. Our goal is to win and so is theirs. They know that we are gonna do what gives us the best chance to win and if they pay their dues then they will get their chance to be the star of our offense.

Lastly, what the fuck were you wearing at practice the other day?

How dare you question my fashion sense! That it was I call "kickass casual." It is hot as a MOFO in Tuscaloosa in early in the season but when the players see me come out in my sleeveless windbreaker top and sun hat they know Coach is about to put a foot deep into some one's ass. I'm done with your ignorant questions, I gotta get out to the practice field.

Coach runthepound - we're happy to have you here with us. After a rocky off-season, we weren't sure if you'd be coaching the Buckeyes this season. It appeared as though you'd be contending for another national title last season, but you were derailed by the Spartans in Indianapolis. What's it going to take to get the Green monkey off your back?

We have lost some close battles with Michigan State and even lost a few that I thought we could have won. The biggest thing for us when it comes to winning that game comes down to making the plays. I feel like we havent wanted it as much as the other team at times, but I feel like that has finally changed around here. We wanted to bring in a winning attitude when I showed up here and I believe that is finally starting to sink in with the guys we have here now. They have seen us make it to the big games, but these guys was to be the ones to officially put Ohio State back on the map.

Your recruiting success seems to have followed you Columbus where you've been putting together one great class after another. Where is this team in your program-building process? Are they approaching the depth and talent that you showcased in Colorado?

I feel like we are finally right where we need to be as a team to compete with anyone. We have had some great players in my time here, but now we have great players to back up great players. We finally have the depth at just about every position to where we wont lose too much if one of our starters goes down.

You have a problem that most coaches would die for - having to decide between two amazing quarterbacks. Which guy (Leslie or Jordan) are you going to feature?

Leslie is our starter this year. He has played extremely well through the first few weeks of the season and has earned the right to remain our starter. Jordan has seen some time as a backup, as has our Freshman Yusef Pittman.

We were surprised to see true-freshman QB Pittman on the field this season. What do you see in this youngster over the JR and SR studs we asked about above?

As a recruit, we realliked like Pittman's ability to leave the pocket and make plays on his feet as well as being extremely accurate with his passing. So far this season, he has shown better arm strength than we thought he had. We felt it was important to get him in some games and allow him to grow some before he was given the position as a full time starter. So far, he has overachieved.

Everyone knows that Kirby Barber is the media sweetheart this year, but you've got a great back there in Steve Carter. How do you think your guy stacks up against Barber at MSU, Bennett at OU and Myrick in Florida?

Steve Carter is in his 3rd season of seeing valuable playing time. You can tell over the years that he has gained a ton of confidence out there and he has really proven he is worthy of being mentioned with those other guys. Carter is a very tough back that can make great reads, great cuts, and can just make plays happen. He is very good out of the backfield with his route running and his catching skills. He doesnt have top wnd speed, but if he can beat you to the seam and find the whole, he can take one to the house. Our motto for our backs is to "just put some hair around it" and those guys have really been finding some holes.

Some would say that you made it through the most difficult part of your schedule already. Is this team going to be undefeated when they get to the B10 title game? And what about after that game?

Obviously we take the schedule one game at a time, but we dont see anyone on our schedule that we cant beat. Getting to the Big 10 title game is a yearly goal for us and one that hasnt changed this year. If it takes beating every team on our schedule to make it there, then thats what is going to happen.

Coach jca312 - thanks for visiting with us. As one of the longest tenured coaches in the Crop, we'd like to pick your brain about the level of competition in the league. We all know that building a winning program is no 40-hour a week job and we're always amazed to see the coaches and ADs working through the morning and night to support their football programs. How does this Crop stack up against past seasons?

Your program seems to have a bit of a rivalry with that school in Wyoming and their opinionated and vocal coach. How big was that bowl game victory for you personally after some of the pre-game jabs you heard through the media?

You had marquis wins over Florida and Wyoming last season that seemed to send a message about the strength of your program. This season, however, has been a rough stretch. Can this team still recover and get to the Pac 12 title game?

Let's talk about Vernon Carter. He's taken a lot of snaps for Stanford these past fours years. Where is his future place in Stanford football lore? Will he be considered the best ever at Stanford? Or just the best athletic QB at Stanford?

Coach egofailure - thanks for taking our call. You had a great season last year - getting to the national championship game where you came up short against the force that is Oklahoma. Things just didn't seem to go your way in what can only be described as a frustrating experience. What did your team take away from those experiences?

Following your championship attempt, everyone in the ACC and state of Virginia had the Cavaliers pegged for another championship run, but your team has stumbled a bit this season. What would you say has led to your early struggles? And can this team still contend for a title this season?

There's no question that this is your most talent group of football players that you've put on the field for Virginia - probably the best this school has ever seen. What are the strengths of this team? And where is this team failing to stack up?

We've seen some great recruiting classes for the Hoo's these past few years. When does this team's talent level peak?

Lastly, we know you've got your sights set on your first real premier back in that speedy recruit out of Texas. When can we expect to see him on the field and how will that change your game plan?

Good luck righting the ship this season and congratulations on your unprecedented success at Virginia.

Coach Ego - thanks for taking our call. You had a great season last year - getting to the national championship game where you came up short against the force that is Oklahoma. Things just didn't seem to go your way in what can only be described as a frustrating experience. What did your team take away from those experiences?

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No problem, thanks for having me.

Last year we had a special group of men here at Virginia. The loss to Oklahoma was a tough way to end such a spectacular season, but in that game, we proved that we belonged. We were one or two plays away from walking off the field as the best team in the country. When I first took the job here at UVA, I would have been laughed off the podium had I told our fans we'd have that chance. Now the whole state believes in us.

Prior to my arrival, we hadn't won an ACC championship in 30 years. Now we're contending for national championships. We learned that hard work pays off. As a result, the entire UVA program is hungrier than ever.

Following your championship attempt, everyone in the ACC and state of Virginia had the Cavaliers pegged for another championship run, but your team has stumbled a bit this season. What would you say has led to your early struggles? And can this team still contend for a title this season?

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We realize that playing in the ACC has its disadvantages. If all things are even, the nod for a championship bid will almost always go to an SEC, Big Ten, or PAC-12 school. For that reason, I've made it a point to have one of the most difficult OOC schedules in the country every year. How many other teams would open up on the road vs. Wyoming, a pre-season Top-10 team? We do it to shut up all the doubters and naysayers.

That said, sometimes the plan backfires. We went into this season with a new starting quarterback, halfback, and fullback. Many programs like to set themselves up with one or two easier match ups to work out the early-season kinks, especially with a new group of players at key positions. We don't have that luxury. I felt that in our game vs. the Cowboys, by the time we found our rhythm offensively, we ran out of time.

But since then, we've won 5-straight, we're ranked #6 in the nation, and we host the #1 Sooners in Week 11. If we handle our business against NC State and Miami, we'll head into that game in a position to assert ourselves as true contenders. When your fate is in your own hands, what more can you ask for?

I really liked our team with Robertson leading the offense (he didn't have the starting role at QB until Week 2), but he'll be out with a shoulder injury for at least another month. With Blake Smith filling in, we're a bit less versatile offensively, but we're more potent through the air. He's going to have to have a helluva stretch if we're going to stay in the NC conversation. I'm excited for him and the opportunity he's been presented.

There's no question that this is your most talented group of football players that you've put on the field for Virginia - probably the best this school has ever seen. What are the strengths of this team? And where is this team failing to stack up?

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You know, while it's true that you can't win in this game without talent, talent alone doesn't get the job done. On paper, we might have more "talent" than the previous year, but last season's team had vastly superior chemistry. We also had, arguably, the best quarterback in UVA history running the show. The importance of that can't be understated. Veteran leadership at key positions wins championships.

This year's team, though, like last year's, is extremely tough. We're balanced. Deep. Hardworking. There's not a single guy in our locker room who's afraid to knock you in the teeth. I love that.

Still, I think we're missing the guy from this year's team. Robertson has that potential, but is only a freshman; and at halfback, Silva and Kirby are bangers who lack homerun speed. Our receiving core, as a whole, is formidable, but we don't have a guy that absolutely requires safety help. We have a few guys on the roster now who I think one day will, but that's not the case right now.

We've seen some great recruiting classes for the Hoo's these past few years. When does this team's talent level peak?

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We've had some tremendous classes the last few years, which has helped us compete on the field with the elite programs, but I think we're a long way from peaking. Programs such as Oklahoma, Alabama, and Texas are on a whole 'nother level, and they're at that level due to long periods of sustained success. Right now, we're nothing more than a blip on the radar. If we were to fall flat on our faces for the next couple of seasons, the entire country would forget that we even exist.

But I won't let that happen. I won't be satisfied until UVA is a fixture in the college football world. As we inch closer to reaching that status with every top-ten finish, we won't just be able to bring in top talent ... we'll be able to choose among the top talent.

Right now, we work around the talent we bring in, developing a system that will best utilize their abilities. The plan, in time, is to be in position to bring in the players we need to run the exact system we've envisioned from day one.

Lastly, we know you've got your sights set on your first real premier back in that speedy recruit out of Texas. When can we expect to see him on the field and how will that change your game plan?

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David Allen's a special player ... a game-changer ... a kid with the potential to be "the guy". As I stated earlier, he's the exact type of player we need here at Virginia.

We've talked to David about red-shirting his freshman year in order to get stronger and adjusted to the college lifestyle. He's a smart, humble kid and appears to be on board with that plan.

If Allen chooses Virginia, it won't necessarily change anything we do offensively, but rather make everything we do that much more effective. In our system, the half back is utilized considerably, especially in the passing game. Right now, we have well-executed off-tackle runs and screen plays going for 6-10 yards. David has the potential to turn these plays into touchdowns.

Good luck righting the ship this season and congratulations on your unprecedented success at Virginia.

"As one of the longest tenured coaches in the Crop, we'd like to pick your brain about the level of competition in the league. We all know that building a winning program is no 40-hour a week job and we're always amazed to see the coaches and ADs working through the morning and night to support their football programs. How does this Crop stack up against past seasons?"

It's been a lot of fun to be a part of this league for so many years. It seems with every passing season, the competition gets better, the coaches get more committed, and the league becomes a tighter knit group. It's fun to be a part of the Cream of the Crop fraternity. I think a spot in the league is something to be proud of because it comes with hard work.

"Your program seems to have a bit of a rivalry with that school in Wyoming and their opinionated and vocal coach. How big was that bowl game victory for you personally after some of the pre-game jabs you heard through the media?"​

Coach Schad and I have a long standing rivalry. He's beaten me a few times in big games and on heartbreaking plays, but we've won our fair share as well. He and I have very different coaching philosophies. He likes to talk in the press and make outlandish claims. I prefer to let my team do the talking on the field. I always know when a team coached by him comes up on our schedule our guys better be ready to go. You're going to be put under pressure offensively and defensively for the whole game. If you let down, you'll be punished. Any time you can get a win against one of his teams it's big, same as any rivalry game. Records and rankings don't matter.

"You had marquis wins over Florida and Wyoming last season that seemed to send a message about the strength of your program. This season, however, has been a rough stretch. Can this team still recover and get to the Pac 12 title game?"

I think our guys may have gotten caught looking too far ahead and assumed that they were going to win games by just showing up. The San Jose State loss may have been the turning point of our season. Since then, I feel like our guys on defense have really buckled down and focused on the fundamentals. Our offense has done a decent job this year of putting points on the board, we've struggled to stop our opponent in 2 of our 3 losses. We're on our way to turning that around and hopefully getting another crack at Oklahoma in the Pac 12 Championship Game.

"Let's talk about Vernon Carter. He's taken a lot of snaps for Stanford these past four years. Where is his future place in Stanford Football lore? Will he be considered the best ever at Stanford? Or just the best athletic QB at Stanford?"​

Vernon is a great quarterback and a great athlete. I feel it's a bit unfair to him and what he has accomplished here because of the guy we had when we were recruiting him. Bryan Lewis is in the Hall of Fame, but I think Vernon is just as good. Vernon probably even runs the ball better, but we were just doing things differently when Bryan was here. I think an outsider will look at the numbers and say Lewis was better, but I think they are probably on the same level. In fact, Vernon might even be a better runner than Bryan. His numbers won't matchup, but he has had to overcome some injuries and Bryan was lucky enough to avoid getting hurt the whole time he was here. I think that those of us in the program know that Vernon is a great football player, a great leader, and a great quarterback. He'll always have a special place for me in Stanford Football history. We've been lucky to get the kind of kids we've gotten to lead our team.​

Coach tuco418 - you've quietly been running a powerhouse program in the Big East and, more recently, the Big 12 while managing to stay out of the headlines and media focus. How does a 6-star team maintain such a low profile?

You seemed to have your best year a season or two ago when you had to step away for personal reasons. Do you think that team might have won the title if you were able to see it through?

How does this year's team stack up against some of the powerful teams you've put on the field in the past?

Alonzo Harrison is, like the rest of your team, quietly one of the best in the nation. How is it that Harrison is getting no love from the Heisman voters? And how does Harrison compare with the likes of Barber, Bennett and Carter?

We've noted that you prefer a mobile quarterback in your spread system. Chris Gilmore seems like he's been in Cincy forever, but you've got a great one in Lenny Sullivan on the bench behind him. Will Gilmore remain the starter this year? Or will Sullivan step in and steal the spotlight?

You lost to MSU after out-playing them most of the game and then lost a really close one to Alabama. You've got Wyoming (likely twice) at the end of the year. How do you like your chances against the Cowboys this season?

Coach Mr2Bits - thanks for taking our call. We have a lot of questions for you, but everyone here is dying to get your take on what happened this week against Vandy. Did you get caught looking past the team that now holds the keys to the East's spot in the SEC CCG?

You finally managed to win your first title a few seasons ago - congrats for that, by the way - but your team has struggled a bit since then. You lost two games early last season and the recent loss to Vandy likely puts you out of the race this season. What is happening in Gainsville?

Everyone knows that Florida is a big draw for recruits. That's apparent with permanent place UF has carved out in the top 3 of the recruiting rankings. But even with all that talent coming through, your offense seems to be a step (or two) behind some of the amazingly talented squads we've seen there in the past. Are we misreading that? And/or when does this offense become elite again?

On defense, you boast one of the best defensive lines in the history of college football. Would you say they are playing up to their level of talent?

Behind that front four is a handful of good or great linebackers, corners and safeties. I think everyone knows that the first team is full of studs, but maybe you can tell us a little bit about the young talent you have developing behind those guys?

Lastly, we're all very excited for your week 14 trip to Norman. It doesn't get much bigger than OU/UF. It would take some help, but there's a chance that a win in that game could put UF back into the title conversation. How does your team stack up against the mighty OU machine?

Coach BRUCE80 - you're a hard man to get ahold of. Are you just too busy sitting up in your castle, counting all of those rings? No seriously - what do you do with all of those? You'd look like an asshole walking around with 7 rings on your hands. "Hey look at me! I've won more titles than I can count - and my team is terrible!"

All jokes aside, what you've managed to accomplish this past decade at OU is nothing short of amazing. We know you're the consummate sand-bagger that never has a very good team, but still manages to have a significantly better team than everyone else. What is the secret to your success?

You're rolling through another challenging schedule with relative ease, but you've still got at least one really big game left on the schedule when you host Florida in week 14. Tell us a little about your rivalry with the nation's other powerhouse.

This is your second year in the Pac-12. Your arrival seems to have changed the landscape of the conference. How do you compare the talent in the Pac-12 to the conference you left behind?

Lastly coach, you've got quite a collection of talented athletes all over that roster. One particular guy that is turning heads is RS-SO TE Steve Hodges. We know that OU loves a good TE and this one seems to be on par with some of the great TEs (Youdlain anyone?) that have come up through this program. How do you think he compares? And how do the recent NCAA restrictions on TE routes stand to impact his career numbers?

Your team looked great at times last season, but you came up short against Florida and had a disapointing finish against Stanford. Derrick Johnson is back for his 5th year (and 4th year as the starter) and a shot at another Heisman trophy, but didn't get off to a great start this year. What should we expect from Johnson the remainder of the season?

It's been an up and down year for him and alot of that attributes to the fact that we are just not quite as explosive on offense as we were the previous two seasons. We have lost some of our most prolific receivers and it definitely has hurt us this season.

After a great start against UVA, the Cowboys struggled against two teams from Ohio - OSU and Ohio. Looking down your schedule, are there any other games you're worried about?

Cincinnati. We beat them twice last year but the odds are against us this season to do it again. Coach Tuco and his boys will be wanting to extract revenge.

Tell us a little about the young talent on your team - specifically the young receievers that will be fueling this air-raid attack for the next few seasons. You've been loaded with great receivers for many seasons, but we're not sure who is going to be catching all those passes in the seasons ahead.

Kelly is our best overall receiver and Dixon is the burner but tends to lose focus at times. Rose is an explosive slot and does a great job working the the perimeter and Hopkins might have the best hands and route running on the team. He is going to be great in this offense, already has contributed a bunch this season at #4.

We are quite young elsewhere and it has shown all season at times. In general next season between QB and WR we could have very little experience.

Speaking of all those passes, who is going to be the next great quarterback in this system?

One of these two young players signed this week after the Kansas State game.

It looks like you're starting to assemble a core of young, talented defenders - something that seemed to be lacking for this team in the early years of your tenure. What is the current focus of your recruiting efforts? Restocking the passing game or continuing to build out the defense?

We are HEAVILY attacking our offensive sets in recruiting to reload alot of talented players we have lost the past two seasons.

On defense we only have 1 Senior and will return 10 of 11 starters. We should have one of the best defenses in the country next season which will be huge with a young offensive team next year.

Coach Mr2Bits - thanks for taking our call. We have a lot of questions for you, but everyone here is dying to get your take on what happened this week against Vandy. Did you get caught looking past the team that now holds the keys to the East's spot in the SEC CCG?

We were prepared for Vanderbilt; they played a great game to beat us. We need help to get back to Atlanta and that is on us as a team, players and coaches. We were outplayed and outcoached by Vandy. Hats off to them. They made the big plays when they needed them in the crunch.

You finally managed to win your first title a few seasons ago - congrats for that, by the way - but your team has struggled a bit since then. You lost two games early last season and the recent lossto Vandy likely puts you out of the race this season. What is happening in Gainsville?

Winning it all after falling short twice was a great step for our program, but each season is a new one with new challenges, our players know that. I wouldn't say that we have "struggled" per say. We have won the SEC six straight years and eight out of the last ten. All that is happening in Gainesville is that a good team will use this loss to get better. We have a great program with a proud tradition. The Gators are still MIGHTY.

Everyone knows that Florida is a big draw for recruits. That's apparent with permanent place UF has carved out in the top 3 of the recruiting rankings. But even with all that talent coming through, your offense seems to be a step (or two) behind some of the amazingly talented squads we've seen there in the past. Are we misreading that? And/or when does this offense become elite again?

It is true that our offensive firepower is not quite where it was a few seasons ago, but our squad has plenty of playmakers. Ryan Wade is as good a player at the TE position as I have ever seen. Myrick and Stephens are no joke out of the backfield either. I also really like what we are getting out of starting QB Dan Butler. Dan doesn't have the arm of a Justin Whitaker or Mike Miller, but he is a true dual-threat stud. We have altered much of what we do on offense to fit his skill set.

On defense, you boast one of the best defensive lines in the history of college football. Would you say they are playing up to their level of talent?

In some respects. They have played well in spurts. The guy who has had a breakout year is Curtus Ray. He is on pace to break Ben Salyer's single season school record. He has some HOF potential in him.

Behind that front four is a handful of good or great linebackers, corners and safeties. I think everyone knows that the first team is full of studs, but maybe you can tell us a little bit about the young talent you have developing behind those guys?

Great question. I will give you three names to look out for in the future. The first has already made his way onto the field this year: FS Jon Stevenson. We have used Jon in the 3-3-5 package and at the SS spot this year. Also, look out for LBs Patrick Young (son of former Gator BB player) and Matt Morris. Morris has found his way onto the field in some 4-4 looks and is an absolute ball hawk.

Lastly, we're all very excited for your week 14 trip to Norman. It doesn't get much bigger than OU/UF. It would take some help, but there's a chance that a win in that game could put UF back into the title conversation. How does your team stack up against the mighty OU machine?

It will be a great honor to play OU again. We have a ton of respect for coach Bruce and what he has accomplished there. We have had some battles for sure, but have played the Sooners well over the years. The 2022 BCS Title Game still causes me dick-pain. A win would be great. I'm not sure that we can get back into the title hunt without winning the SEC, but you never know...

Coach BRUCE80 - you're a hard man to get ahold of. Are you just too busy sitting up in your castle, counting all of those rings? No seriously - what do you do with all of those? You'd look like an asshole walking around with 7 rings on your hands. "Hey look at me! I've won more titles than I can count - and my team is terrible!"

The Rings are stashed in a bank vault. We have won a few here now to go along with previous titles from T1. I dont keep them around much...I am not flashy and dont really enjoy talking about myself or our success. We simply have been very fortunate.

All jokes aside, what you've managed to accomplish this past decade at OU is nothing short of amazing. We know you're the consummate sand-bagger that never has a very good team, but still manages to have a significantly better team than everyone else. What is the secret to your success?

First to say our team is significantly better then MSU, UF, Bama or OSU is a reach. The other user teams are very close in talent as well..

We have good players and we try to put solid game plans together for the teams we are playing. Our offense has changed a ton this season and we have struggled on that side of the ball. The D however has been fantastic other then the huge amount of dropped interceptions. I enjoy the sand bagging because it seems to bug everyone so much. We just arent that good and are darn lucky to win the games that we win.

You're rolling through another challenging schedule with relative ease, but you've still got at least one really big game left on the schedule when you host Florida in week 14. Tell us a little about your rivalry with the nation's other powerhouse.

Love playing the Gators, they provide a significant challenge with the team speed and just overall atheltic talent they have. The coach also seems to find new and interesting ways to get the most out of the talent he has every season. Bits is a great coach and we are shocked that UF has only one title in 18 seasons.

This is your second year in the Pac-12. Your arrival seems to have changed the landscape of the conference. How do you compare the talent in the Pac-12 to the conference you left behind?

The Big 10 was a talented conference and had some very good Kansas teams over the years. The Pac 12 has provided a new challenge and its been fun. This season we have had some very good games vs teams in our conference. Overall I would say the talent is pretty even as are the overall teams.

Lastly coach, you've got quite a collection of talented athletes all over that roster. One particular guy that is turning heads is RS-SO TE Steve Hodges. We know that OU loves a good TE and this one seems to be on par with some of the great TEs (Youdlain anyone?) that have come up through this program. How do you think he compares? And how do the recent NCAA restrictions on TE routes stand to impact his career numbers?

Hodgy is a special talent no doubt about that. He isnt Youdlain however and its likely that nobody ever will be. He isnt the play maker that YW was, he was like a WR or RB playing TE and he made the toughest catches look routine. Hodges is solid but doesnt have the same type of seperation that we are used to. Hodges #s are down this season overall before the changes, most of it due to the D just taking him away and our Oline hasnt provided the kind of time needed to get him the ball down the field when he has been open. I dont think it will impact us too much as we have already started to game plan around our inability to use the TE before the rule changes.

Coach tuco418 - you've quietly been running a powerhouse program in the Big East and, more recently, the Big 12 while managing to stay out of the headlines and media focus. How does a 6-star team maintain such a low profile?

Mostly because we have not come through in the big games since coming to the Big XII. When we have gotten to the championship game, we have been throttled by both Oklahoma and Wyoming.

You seemed to have your best year a season or two ago when you had to step away for personal reasons. Do you think that team might have won the title if you were able to see it through?

That was tough to walk away from the team, we were 11-0 heading into the Big XII championship game. We had a quality quarterback who did not make mistakes and was probably our best shot to win the conference. Beating Oklahoma would have been tough, but we had our best personnel to do so.

How does this year's team stack up against some of the powerful teams you've put on the field in the past?

The team is very talented at almost every position with the exception of two- offensive line and quarterback. We have had quarterback issues each of the last season, be it from injuries or inexperience. The problems on the offensive line have plagued the program since I arrived at Cincinnati. We have not been able to recruit elite offensive lineman and it really has affected our ability to run the ball in big games. I think the play of our offensive line has prevented us from achieving bigger goals.

Alonzo Harrison is, like the rest of your team, quietly one of the best in the nation. How is it that Harrison is getting no love from the Heisman voters? And how does Harrison compare with the likes of Barber, Bennett and Carter?

He is a very good back and is having a great season (1100 yards) but should be better with a better performance from the offensive line.We've noted that you prefer a mobile quarterback in your spread system. Chris Gilmore seems like he's been in Cincy forever, but you've got a great one in Lenny Sullivan on the bench behind him. Will Gilmore remain the starter this year? Or will Sullivan step in and steal the spotlight?

Gillmore is currently out with an injury and Lenny Sullivan has done a sufficient job. Sullivan should be the starter for the remainder of the NCAA 12 play.

You lost to MSU after out-playing them most of the game and then lost a really close one to Alabama. You've got Wyoming (likely twice) at the end of the year. How do you like your chances against the Cowboys this season?

No one defends the spread better than Coach David and tonight in the 27-13 loss, his defense held us to probably all time lows in total yardage. We really need to re-think our gameplan for the Big XII championship.